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Green Tea Gelato with Lychees in Ginger Syrup

Gelato is a deliciously light, and much healthier, alternative to ice cream. While ice cream is made using a custard base made of egg yolks, milk and cream, gelato is based on just milk and thickened with either cornstarch or arrowroot.

When I was given an ice cream maker a few years ago I went on an insane and unsustainable ice cream making frenzy. I made lovely rich ice creams in many flavours, all with a heavy custard base. And if this wasn’t enough there was additional incidental baking to use up at least some of the egg whites. It doesn’t make for a happy and healthy waistline. So in an attempt at moderation I have switched to gelato. It may not have the same rich creaminess as ice cream but there is a significant calorie saving so it is a happy compromise. I’ll save the ice cream for really special occasions.

Which do you prefer, gelato or ice cream? And what is your favourite flavour?

Combine the arrowroot with about 1/4 cup of the milk in a small bowl and stir until smooth; set aside.

Add the remaining milk, matcha and sugar in a medium sized saucepan and cook over a lowish heat. (My matcha formed lumps in the milk that didn’t look as if they were going to dissolve so I impatiently gave it a quick blitz with an immersion blender; a whisk probably would have sufficed). When it starts to boil, remove from the stove and add the arrowroot/milk mixture; stir. Add the vanilla and stir through.

Place the mix in a bowl or jug and chill. When thoroughly chilled churn it in your ice cream maker.

I made a simple sugar syrup, flavoured with ginger, to pour over the lychees. It’s very easy to make; simply place the sugar, water and ginger in a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup looks lovely and thick and the ginger starts to look translucent; don’t let it boil. If you lack the patience/knife skills to cut the ginger in a way that looks pretty then remove the ginger before serving.

This dessert is my contribution to the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop for February – Licence to Chill